Field
The present invention relates to a ground engagement or soil tillage tool. In particular, the invention comprises a ripper used penetrate and break up soil that includes replaceable wings to allow for easy quick adjustment to varying conditions.
Background
Deep ripping, or fracturing, of compacted soils has been a prior art practice used particularly in agricultural setting for some time. Deep ripping loosens hard compacted layers of soil by mechanically fracturing or shattering the soil hard pan.
Deep ripping has been shown to improve crop performance by giving plant roots easier access to moisture and nutrients that lie below the compact layers of soil, because the roots can grow further down into the loosened soil which they would not be able to otherwise effectively penetrate. Data has shown that ripping in general results in substantial improvements in crop yields.
Ripping is accomplish through the use of rippers, which are strong metal devices used with various types of equipment to engage with the ground for the purpose of fracturing, breaking up, and mixing the soil. Rippers are commonly used in agricultural and construction settings to engage soils for a variety of purposes. Rippers typically are attached to the end of tines that are then towed or dragged through the soil, or are used in combination with various types of equipment to prepare soils for further processing.
Rippers undergo substantial wear and tear as they impact soil, and as such are a wear part that needs periodic replacement or repair. Wear coating is commonly used to reduce the amount of wear. Typically, wear coating such as tungsten carbide is slathered on the parts in a haphazard way; with the hope that the more of the surface that is covered the longer the device will last. However, this approach suffers from a number of drawbacks.
First, wear coating dulls the cutting or ripping edges thereby interfering with the ability of the ripper to cleanly and efficiently engage the soil. Additionally, when wear coating is placed unnecessarily on the part, it is a waste of time and money, and does not end up increasing the life of the parts.
An additional factor in the effectiveness and longevity of rippers is the design and configuration of the devices. Again, prior art devices are not efficiently designed. Design features also impact the materials from which the rippers can be made, as well as the ease of manufacturing.
Further the effectiveness of ripping varies greatly based on the soil conditions, and the types of soils. For example, ripping can be very beneficial in soils with deep sandy layers, where moisture and nutrients are deeper under the surface and cannot be reached unless the soil has been fractured. Ripping conditions will vary based on how compacted the soil is, and the moisture level of the soil. Other variables include the amount of mixing of the soil that is needed. In some case it is desirable to avoid disturbing the upper level of the soil and instead break up the soil below grade. In other situations, it is desirable to fracture and mix the soil.
The precise demands for ripping are variable, and cannot be well predicted in advance—as such things as weather conditions can cause substantial changes in a short period of time. Prior art rippers are sold in advance, and do not provide flexibility to meet changing demands thereby leaving users at the mercy of a one size fits all approach that produce unsatisfactory results.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved ripper that eliminates or substantially eliminates the drawbacks of the prior art.